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While Monterrey is not yet ready to challenge Guadalajara, a city in the Pacific coast state of Jalisco, for the title of Mexico's Silicon Valley, the recent improvements to security are already providing a boost for entrepreneurs. Diego Etienne, a Monterrey-based entrepreneur and industrial designer told me, “things got really ugly here and some people left but now things are improving and the businesses that stayed are flourishing.”

Last year the Monterrey based beverage giant FEMSA jointly announced a program along with Crowdfunder Mexico and Monterrey’sEugenio Garza Laguera Entrepreneur’s Institute to organize a competition to provide young start-ups with access to investors and advisors.

Sabrina Verastegui, pre-incubation coordinator at the ITESM start-up incubator in Monterrey, told me “We have the best companies in the country here. There’s a lot of talent.”

As security improves, Monterrey can focus on building up its well-established industrial base and continuing to nurture startups.